Vernon to host two divisions of NYSS for 3-year-old colt trotters

Vernon Downs will kick off its first Wednesday racing card on July 11, and will feature two divisions of New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colt trotters.

15 sophomore trotters dropped in for Wednesday's event, and it looks as if the two toughest drew separate divisions.

Delano winning a NYSS event at Tioga Downs earlier this year

Ray Schnittker's, Delano, drew post position number five in the first division going for $66,718.

The 3-year-old son of Credit Winner – Kelly Hall is coming in off of back-to-back wins in NYSS capturing legs at Buffalo and Yonkers Raceway. The colt has won all three NYSS events he has participated in this year with earnings of more than $115,000. Schnittker and Delano have been given the nod as the 5-2 morning line favorite in race number seven.

In the second division, 2-1 morning line favorite Coraggioso, opted not to go to the Yonkers Trot this past weekend and will look for his fifth win of the season on Wednesday evening.

The 3-year-old son of Conway Hall – Electra Hanover was second to Archangel in the EBC Final at Vernon Downs on June 1^st. Trainer-driver, Phil Fluet, will once again do the driving on Coraggioso for the partnership of Spadaro and Durkin from post position number two.

Coraggioso is a Hambletonian hopeful for Phil Fluet

Vernon Downs kicks off its four days of live racing on Wednesday, July 11 with a post time of 6:55 pm. 

Vernon Downs will continue with a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday race schedule through the weekend of August 25^th.

For more information on Vernon Downs please visit us online at www.vernondowns.com.

Mach My Word Wins Second Straight in Saturday Feature

Mach My Word and Stettin Hanover were winners in co-featured paces at Vernon Downs on Saturday night, July 7.

With Frank Davis catch-driving both first-place finishers, Mach My Word ($7.40) earned his second win in succession and third tally of 2012 with a 1:52 performance in Saturday's $6,500 seventh event, while Stettin Hanover ($5.00) followed suit with a 1:53.2 effort in the $6,500 ninth event, that also hiked his current win count to three.

Mach My Word came overland from fifth at the half to finish first by 2-1/2 lengths for trainer Scott West, who owns the 4-year-old son of Mach Three along with Tracy Brainard.  It was the bay gelding's sixth lifetime tally.

The veteran Stettin Hanover also rallied from off the pace and closed from fourth in the final quarter to win by a half-length over Western Wild King.  Former Vernon training champion Lonny Hale conditions the bay son of Artiscape for the Hale Storm Stable.

The victories enabled both Davis and Hale to obtain doubles during Saturday's 12-race card.  Driver Joe Nassimos also won twice during the track's 32^nd program.

Provisional driver Gary Minckler earned his first pari-mutuel victory after piloting the pacer Inconvenient Truth to a snappy 1:54.2 score in Saturday's $3,300 10^th event.  The 35-year-old teamster did the steering for trainer Tony Mondi and owner Lon Frocione as the 6-year-old son of Power Of Art secured his initial win of the season and 13^th  lifetime tally.  

DOWNS DOINGS—Hale's other Saturday score came from the Leonard Hale-owned pacer Filthy Rich in race five…The 3-year-old trotter This Is It (2:00.3) and sophomore pacer Myartbelongstodaddy (1:56) each obtained their initial pari-mutuel victories on Saturday night…Through July 7, Rick Plano held a 51-48 advantage over Chris Lems in Vernon's driver standings, while defending champ Tracy Brainard led Plano 34-28 on the training side of the ledger…Beginning July 11, Vernon will add Wednesday nights (first post 6:55) to its live racing schedule for the remainder of July and August...Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.

Tirade Hanover, Creditora Fastest in NYSS Debuts

Tirade Hanover and Creditora became the fastest 2-year-old trotting gelding and colt, respectively, during Friday night's $183,044 New York Sires Stakes-sponsored program at Vernon Downs.

Tirade Hanover ($6.30) remained undefeated after two freshman outings and lowered his speed badge to 1:57 with a bold going effort in the quickest of four NYSS divisions, which totaled $118,544, while Creditora ($11.40) claimed the 31-program meet's fastest frosh colt trotting mark with a 1:57.2 come-from-behind effort in the final NYSS clash.

Tirade Hanover wins in 1:57 with Howard Parker

Howard Parker piloted the favorite Tirade Hanover in the seventh session, challenging for the lead from the start, taking command before the half, and then striding boldly to a two-length tally.  The time clipped a full second off the brown gelding's former speed mark, earned in an overnight event at Pocono Downs on June 26.  Tyler Raymer conditions the son of Crazed-Teagarden Hanover for owners Leigh Nichol, Stephen Moss, Harold and Helane Solomon.   

Two races later, Creditora advanced from fourth in the early going, challenged the pace-setting Explosive Action (Parker) entering the homestretch, and then drew off in the final furlong to win by a convincing

4-1/4 lengths.  Trainer Trond Smedshammer did the teaming for Wanda Polisseni's Purple Haze Stables as the brown son of Credit Winner-New Royalty chalked up his season's pari-mutuel debut in the victory column.  He had previously won a pair of qualifying events.

Creditora wins his debut with Trond Smedshammer

Friday's other NYSS segment winners were Stirling Bullet (2:00.2) and Flyhawk Blacknight (1:59.2).

Portfolio, a bay son of Sand Vic-Winbak Top driven by Stephane Bouchard for trainer Lee Dahn, an owner along with Larry Dahn and Arlene Dahn, led throughout the 10^th contest and posted a 1:58 mile in the speediest of five flights in Friday's $64,500 Excelsior Series for NY-bred freshman male members of the diagonal gait.

The other Excelsior Series victors were Columbia Lion (1:58.3), Bizzaro Lindy (2:00.3), Ruth-Like (2:01) and Ashe's Cash (2:02.1).

Jim Morrill, Jr. and Bouchard each recorded driving doubles, while Rick Plano earned a pair of training credits during Friday's 12-race program.  

DOWNS DOINGS—All 12 of Friday's first-place finishers forged fresh lifetime speed marks…Morrill, Jr. has posted 22 wins in limited appearances at the track this season…The Downs will offer a 12-race card starting at 6:55 tomorrow night (July 7) to closed out its Independence Week activities…Beginning July 11, Vernon will add Wednesday nights (first post 6:55) to its live racing schedule for the remainder of July and August...Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.

Vernon to host five divisions of NYSS for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters Friday night

The 2-year-old stakes season officially begins at Vernon Downs on Friday night, when the sophomore New York bred trotting colts travel to Vernon, New York.

Four divisions of New York Sire Stakes and five divisions of the Excelsior Series will highlight a 12-race program that kicks off at 6:55 pm.

While hope and promise is still at an all-time high for the youngsters with most making their pari-mutuel debuts, there are a few that seem to stick out above the rest.

In the third division of the NYSS, Tyler Raymer will harness up morning line favorite Tirade Hanover (Howard Parker) from post position eight.

The 2-year-old son of Crazed – Teagarden Hanover has put a qualifier and a baby race into his win column already this year.

Tirade Hanover has trotted sub 59 miles in both events with final quarters in the 28 second range.

Howard Parker will make the trip to Vernon Downs to once again sit behind the promising young son of Crazed for the ownership group of Nichol, Moss, and Solomon.

In the fourth division, Howard Parker has landed on another morning line favorite, this time for trainer John Grasso with Explosive Action.

The 2-year-old son of Conway Hall – Yetta's Angel is coming off of a 1:58.3 win in a qualifier at The Meadowlands where he has qualified on four occasions.

The duo will leave from post position number five in the ninth race going for $29,336.  

Vernon Downs kicks off its weekend of live racing on Friday, July 6^th with a post time of 6:55 pm, for more information on Vernon Downs please visit us online at www.vernondowns.com.

Yankee Manny wins again

Brian Green's Yankee Manny became the initial four-time winning trotter of the season at Vernon Downs following his career-best 1:53 victory in the featured attraction during Wednesday afternoon's special Independence Day matinee program.

With trainer Frank Davis at the controls in Wednesday's $10,500 Open contest, the favorite Yankee Manny ($4.80) drafted along in third for most of the sixth race, and then accelerated through the pylon path in the final sixteenth to defeat the fast-closing Spring Goal by a nose.  The pace-setting Manningly was a length back in third.

 

Wednesday's determined effort tied Yankee Manny with the pacer Miracle Freeluck as the 30-program meet's only four time winning equines through that point in the day.  The Brett Tessler-owned trotter My Buddy Hall Lee then followed suit in the afternoon's eighth event, while extending his current winning streak to a meet-longest four straight.

Yankee Manny's triumph marked his sixth season's score and his 25^th lifetime win.  The 6-year-old son of Yankee Glide-Yankee Minuet now sports career earnings of nearly $143,500.

Drivers Rick Plano, Brian Connor and Frank Milby each registered a pair of first-place finishes during Wednesday's 11-race card. 

At day's end, Plano enjoyed a 49-46 advantage over Chris Lems in Vernon's current dash-winning derby.

DOWNS DOINGS—Miracle Freeluck became the meet's initial four-time winner on June 9…The trotter Ultimate Control became the meet's highest priced claim after Danny Nikac plucked him away from the Plano barn for $15,000 in Wednesday's ninth race…There will be no live racing at the Downs tomorrow night (July 5) due to a concert by "America" at the track…Thursday's simulcasts will take place at the Vernon Downs hotel…Live racing will resume at 6:55 p.m. on Friday, July 6 and continue on Saturday, July 7…Starting July 11, Vernon will add Wednesday nights (first post 6:55) to its live racing schedule for the remainder of July and August...Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.

High Speed Life caps big night for Lopez

Roman Lopez capped off a successful evening with a bold 1:53.1 victory behind High Speed Life in Tuesday's $10,500 Open contest for female pacers at Vernon Downs.

Having already notched a double behind the pacer Southwest (race one) and trotter Centerfold Lady (event five) earlier in the special pre-Independence Day program, Lopez directed High Speed Life ($6.00) to a two-length score in Tuesday's sixth session.

The hard-charging bay daughter of Lease On Life-Nano followed the favorite Aries Angel to the quarter, took charge on the backstretch, and then held off a late rally by Harlem Rockturne to record her third local victory, fifth win of 2012 and 26^th lifetime score.  The 52-year-old horseman shares the career-winner of nearly $458,500 with his ownership partner Mitchell A. Frair.

Lopez logged his second driving triple of the 29-year-old meeting and a training double.

In addition to Lopez and Frair, Tuesday's other multiple winners were driver Rick Plano and trainer Tracy Brainard, each with a pair of first-place finishes during the nine-race program.

DOWNS DOINGS—Plano's double gave him a 47-46 edge over Chris Lems in this season's local driving derby, and tied him at six with Lems, Jimmy Whittemore, and Frank Davis for top honors in the meet's two-win category…Lems had won earlier in the program with the Dave Dewhurst-conditioned pacer Fire Fox (1:55)…Centerfold Lady's 2:01.1 effort resulted in the 3-year-old filly's maiden victory… Vernon will offer a 1:15 July 4 matinee program tomorrow…There will be no live racing at the Downs on Thursday (July 5) due to a concert by "America" at the track…Live racing will resume at 6:55 p.m. on Friday, July 6 and continue on Saturday, July 7…Starting July 11, Vernon will add Wednesday nights (first post 6:55) to its live racing schedule in both July and August...Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.

Yankees In Six Scores Speedy Saturday win

Relative newcomer Yankees In Six came within 3/5ths-of-a-second of the track record for 4-year-old pacing geldings with his career-best 1:51.1 triumph in Saturday night's $8,000 featured sixth race at Vernon Downs.

Brian Connor sat in for trainer Edgar Clarke as Yankees In Six ($14.20), making just his second appearance over Vernon's 7/8ths-mile oval, started out in sixth place at the quarter, rallied to fifth at the half, then took command in the far turn before holding off the late-charging Oozie's Bad Boy by a neck at the finish of the "Winners Over" pace.

 

Following a third-place finish here last week, Yankees In Six secured his fourth current victory and his 10^th lifetime tally.  Robert J. Orr and Gary J. Jonas own the black son of Panspacificflight-Law And Order, who raised his career earnings to nearly $170,000.

Trainer Clark and the Orr/Jonas contingent also got a win from the veteran pacer Placeitonluckydan (Frank Milby driving) in the Saturday's $4,000 ninth event.

Driver Rick Plano earned three victories for the second straight evening, and raised his win total for the 28-program meeting to 45, tying him with Chris Lems for the season's dash-winning driving leadership.  It was the 60-year-old horseman's sixth "hat trick" at the meet.

Defending dash champ Jimmy Whittemore visited Vernon's winner's circle twice during the evening's 10-race program and tied both Lems and Frank Davis at six for the lead in driving doubles at the meet.  

DOWNS DOINGS—River Shark established the 1:50.3 Vernon record for 4-year-old pacing geldings in 2010…The Downs will present a special Tuesday card (first post 6:55 p.m.) on July 3, followed by the track's annual Independence Day fireworks spectacular…Vernon will also offer a 1:15 matinee program on Wednesday, July 4…There will be no live racing on Thursday, July 5 due to a concert by "America" at the track…Live racing will resume at 6:55 p.m. on Friday, July 6 and continue on Saturday, July 7…Starting July 11, Vernon will add Wednesday nights (first post 6:55) to its live racing schedule in both July and August...Additional information regarding Vernon Downs, its casino, hotel, racing and promotional events can be obtained at www.vernondowns.com.